Christopher Prewitt is a Fuel User Group member based out of the Cleveland area. Earlier this year, he participated in virtual study group sessions for the Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) certification and recently passed the exam. We spoke with Prewitt about his start in cybersecurity, what drove him to get PCNSE certified and tips for others looking to obtain the designation.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with information on how to create a GlobalProtect Portal since its original publication in February 2020.

You’ve just entered the wonderful world of Palo Alto Networks and have found that your users need to be able to access work resources remotely. This means you’ll need to set up VPN access for them. In the parlance of Palo Alto Networks, this means you’ll also need to set up the GlobalProtect VPN client. This article will review how to set up the client for your usage.

As shelter-in-place orders continue to be observed, employees required to work from home may not have the same security protections that their physical workplace offers. Until employees can return to these offices, following simple cybersecurity best practices is now more important than ever.

With that in mind, we spoke with George Finney, CSO at Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Fuel Board Member. The SMU Office of Information Technology recently outlined a number of tips for remote employees in their quarterly security update. What follows are tips that Finney suggests Fuel members can share with their own employees.

It is no secret that next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) can transform system operations. NGFWs provide their operators with enhanced capabilities, taking firewall maintenance and security to the next level.

In the last few weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many businesses to change their operations overnight and require remote work for the well-being of their employees. With more individuals working via home networks, there has been an increased need for cybersecurity professionals to ensure their companies are still operating securely.

We’ve all been there, talking about work projects or the latest in industry news, when suddenly someone mentions a word or term you’ve never heard of. Or worse, a word you should know but can’t seem to remember what it means.

With the help of the Fuel Editorial Advisory Committee, we’ve rounded up a list of common words and terms you’ve always wanted to know but were too afraid to ask.

The rise of the machines — a title like this can make one think about an apocalyptic scenario similar to The Terminator movies, or topics like machine learning and artificial intelligence.

While the “rise of the machines” I’m talking about here is not a rise over the human race, what I do have in mind has the same capacity to keep firewall administrators awake at night. Firewall administrators used to be in control of every aspect of their firewalls, but now, with an increase in capabilities, firewalls have risen up to better assist with cybersecurity.

Five years ago a new Palo Alto Networks user group called Fuel was founded. Since then, this community has grown to include over 30,000 members with 138 chapters across the world.

Similarly, the cybersecurity industry has experienced its own boom these past five years. In this anniversary infographic, created with help from the Fuel Editorial Advisory Committee, get a sense of how this industry has evolved, plus some of our most pressing questions for the next five years and beyond.

You’ve just begun using Palo Alto Networks technology and have found that your users need to access work resources remotely. This means you’ll need VPN access and, in the parlance of Palo Alto Networks, you’ll also need to set up the GlobalProtect VPN client. This article will review how to set up the client for your usage.